Step Out Of Crisis And Into Power

911 changed the way we looked at the world didn’t it? It changed our perspectives on a lot of things.

And now we’re closing out 2008 while facing a season of extreme uncertainty in our financial world.

A new season is upon us and it is a challenging time, fearful for many. As human beings it is our nature to avoid pain, but without anything to push against, we build no muscle. In this regard, fear can be a valuable ally.

By conquering crisis, we can find that hero within. If you think back to those times when you conquered challenges and what you learned from them, you will recognize that you had an opportunity to sculpt your soul. You experienced a cycle of growth.

This new season feels like winter doesn’t it? The days are dark and it seems this time in our lives will last forever, frozen in time. But don’t forget that life has cycles, just like the seasons. After winter comes spring, a time of growth and renewal.

Crisis isn’t new. We’ve come through other troubled times such as The Great Depression and two World Wars. Other seasons. Other times.

We can’t necessarily control these events, but we can control what they mean to us. We can decide what we will do with it, what perspective we will take. We can participate in our own rescue.

There are 5 steps you can take to deal with a crisis.

Make a decision The word decision means to cut off from. When you can find meaning in the experience you make the decision to not let the external world hold you hostage. When you get to that point where you say “Enough!”, that is the point where you take back your power.

Loss in the external world can’t take away your internal world. You can rebuild that by focusing on what you can do to find a sense of purpose. What can you do to contribute to a sense of connection in your world? How do you do that?

Be resourceful Fear is always there, so face it. When it brings us to a point of anger and overwhelm it is a call to action. Something is telling us that THIS is not good enough for us and it is time for a change. There are two ways to be resourceful.

1. Get physical. Fear is physical. So is faith, courage and empowerment. We use our body in a specific way in each of these states. When you are in a state of fear your brain is being held hostage. You can’t deal with fear in your mind. Emotion is created by motion.

Do a workout. Take a power walk. Do something to take yourself out of the state of hiding. Exercise changes physiology and again, emotion is created by motion. When you change your physiology you can change your mind in a heartbeat. Don’t do it once! Make it a ritual during this crisis. Attack the crisis. Will you think about fear? Or faith? What are you feeding your mind?

2. Feed your mind with what will strengthen you. We are what we consume mentally. Whatever we focus on continuously we feel. Eventually we hit a tipping point, the emotional storm. Your brain becomes frozen.

Focus on what you want, not on what you don’t want. Focus on moments you remember that brought you excitement, joy, comfort and a sense of accomplishment. What we do is shaped by what we feel. It can change in a moment. Don’t let fear dominate you; it will cause you to freeze. Too much pain is the power of crisis; it causes you to do something. What can you do?

Create a vision Get clear about what is important to you. What is it you value? If you don’t know, think about what you desire the least. Get revved up about that and use that energy to turn it around to focus on what you do want.

Expand on your vision by finding an example of someone you admire who has been successful. Know that when someone succeeds consistently they’re not lucky, they’ve simply found a pattern that works.

Find a proven plan Success leaves clues. Model somebody who has made it through a crisis. How did they handle it? What steps did they take. What resources did they use? Because crisis has been done before, there is a pathway to power. Other people have found their way through it.

Take action Success is a matter of good judgment, which comes from experience. And guess what? Experience comes from bad judgment. A first plan usually fails, but the quicker you get to that stage the quicker you get your feedback and can move on to the next stage. If you don’t get off the fence you won’t get anywhere.

You don’t have to do this alone. Find a partner, someone who has knowledge or skills that complement yours. Keep each other accountable for the steps you are taking. Two heads are better than one.

Decisions control our life. This crisis will make us look for tools and we will become more resourceful. What we do is shaped by what we feel, and emotion is created by motion.

* * * * * * * *

Do you recall a time in your life when you went through a crisis? How did you support yourself?

Looking back, were you able to see how it changed the course of your life in a positive way?

What do you choose to see for yourself in the new year; the new season in your life?

Note: Credit for this post goes to one of my favourite life coaches, Anthony Robbins. I have transcribed this information from a recent 50-minute audio clip that is part of a series he has created called Learn How To Turn Crisis Into Opportunity. When you click this link on his website you will be prompted to leave your email address and you will be sent his FREE audio programs that include an interview with billionaire Sir John Templeton.

I highly recommend listening to Tony’s audio programs. His enthusiasm is contagious. Let’s spread it around!

Visit his website for more information. And as Tony says, “Live your life with passion!”

If this is your first time visiting Loving Pulse and you enjoyed the reading, don’t forget to subscribe to the feed so you don’t miss upcoming posts. Click on Subscribe to Feed on the home page and follow the prompts.

28 comments

Hi Davina – What a perfect time to post this. I was just listening to the news and it was a lot of doom and gloom. I remember difficult times in the past, and it was those experiences when I grew the most. With this being the first time I’m really following the news on the economy, I follow what you said and am being resourceful and focusing on what I want. Having a vision is key, as is having a positive attitude.

It’s late, so I’ll be back later to download the audio program. I also love Anthony Robbins work.

Oh, Davina, this is exactly what I needed. There can never be enough reminders! While this is written with the outer world in mind, it applies to inner turmoil, too. For the past week, I’ve been in a mental maelstrom stemming from guests’ behaviors (it was a very hard, often unpleasant, holiday week) and while I’ve congratulated myself on how much better I’ve handled things than in the past, there’s much I wish I’d done differently. Things were left unresolved, and I’m struggling to find the best way to go on—inwardly and outwardly. I’m going to listen to the audio later (thanks so much for that!) and will reread your post, as well. What you say is what I’ve practiced as needed for many years, and I know the value of the lessons firsthand. But it’s called ‘practice’ for a reason!! LOL. I’m getting lots, and your words here will help me become much better at finding my inner solid ground a lot more quickly. THANK YOU.

I’m beginning to look forward to Thursdays so I can get my weekly loving pulse inspiration! So many things in this post resonate with me. My favorite quote is “When you can find meaning in the experience you make the decision to not let the external world hold you hostage”. This sentence means a lot to me as I struggle balancing learning about the doom and gloom in the world w/ wanting to stay positive, inspired, and joyful. Lately, in the experience of joy, my heart can feel the weight of the crying world.

Davina, how right you are my dear!!! It seems the “natural” thing to do in a crisis is to shut down – pull the covers up to your chin and burrow into your bedsheets. However, the opposite is indeed the best medicine.

Put on your walking shoes and get outside. If it’s cold – all the better. I’ve found the brisk air focuses my thoughts on the cold and OFF the crisis.

Moving your body and focusing on what you DO want instead of focusing on what you don’t want. It seems to simple yet it’s definitely harder than it sounds!

You know, 9/11 didn’t make me fearful, it royally pissed me off! I absolutely refused to give in to fear. My thought was that if I died in a terrorist attack, it was worth the price I paid to be free. I kept doing everything just the way I always did. I flew, I went to crowded shopping malls, I attended concerts. As a matter of fact, I probably did more of those things than before just as an in-your-face statement that I refused to bow to terrorism.

I also became more politically active as I saw our civil rights eroded in the name of keeping us “safe”. Again, I’d rather die in a terrorist attack than lose the freedoms we tend to take for granted in our country.

Those were the decisions I made in the aftermath of 9/11. I had a focus and a plan, and I carried through.

In today’s economic crisis, I have a lot of the same feelings. I refuse to cower in fear. Whatever happens, it will happen, and we will deal with it. My husband and I have even talked about what we’d do if we couldn’t afford our house (which we rent) and couldn’t find another that accepted our pets. You know what? A tent at the local campground isn’t the most comfortable way to live, but we’d deal with it. We have a lot in life that’s nice to have, but we don’t *need* all of those things.

Regardless of what happens, we’ll manage. We have plans for some of the eventualities that might come up. We also have plans to try and avoid those eventualities. Whatever happens, though, we’ll deal with.

I don’t really go through too many crisis now, I can only think of one time when I got myself in a mess. I didn’t support myself, I was “forced” to get help. The help was for my own good, so I didn’t reject it, but I can’t say that I was ready to be helped (or help myself) until later on. It forced me to make a decision for a more positive life than the one I was leading. In the new year? Many many changes, especially online and in my personal life…just to walk a tighter rope and as you mentioned FEED MY MIND WITH WHAT WILL STRENGHTEN ME, not break me down.

Hi Davina: I also find a lot of good advice when I read Anthony Robbin’s books. I read somewhere that it’s difficult to focus on abundance when all the evidence surrounding you points to the contrary. But it’s precisely when things are not going well that we most need to read positive books, surround ourselves with positive people, focus on the good in our lives, and envision a better tomorrow. And like you point out, taking action is soooo important.

Hi Davina – you’re so right that making a decision is critical. It forces us to take back some control. A lot of fear is about feeling powerless, and not making a decision is a decision that supplements powerlessness. My mother used to say, “we don’t have time to be depressed.” Now, it’s more like, I don’t have time to be afraid. There are too many opportunities in these times not to seize a few.

The other thing: I don’t think we should try to suppress our fear. Say hello to it. All it wants is acknowledgment. This doesn’t mean it should incapacitate, but we should be able to say, yes I’m fearful now. And here’s what I’m going to move forward on. The fear almost magically subsides.

Hi Stacey.
It sure is a challenging time and I can understand your words about feeling the weight of the crying world. Just today I was doing a Google keyword search and was saddened to see that there had been 1,000,000 searches for depression.

Hi Kathy.
LOL. So the freezing cold freezes your fingers and toes and awakens your frozen mind! I know… this all sounds so simple and yet it’s harder than it sounds. I WISH I had the answer…

Hi Vered.
This sounds so poetic huh? I’m holding on to this thought a lot lately.

Hi Maritzia.
Welcome! I want you on my team. It is good to have a contingency plan; I could handle living in a tent as long as it wasn’t winter. Brrrrrr.

Hi Natural.
It is hard to accept help sometimes and we end up waiting until we’re as uncomfortable as we can be before asking for it. I’m curious to see what your online plans are for 2009.

Hi Marelisa.
Tony makes a lot of sense. “…it’s difficult to focus on abundance when all the evidence surrounding you points to the contrary.” I fell into that trap today… thank you for mentioning this!

Hi Betsy.
Yep, the fear is a wake-up call. A rude one… but a call to action nevertheless. Glad you enjoyed this. There was a lot to chew on wasn’t there? Maybe there are a few more posts in here 🙂

I like how your questions ask us to look back as well as ahead, Davina.

This post made me realize that I’m allowing indecisiveness (fear?) to hold me back in a life area I want to address — starting now, before the new year begins. So, thank you! I have an important phone call to make tomorrow morning.

As for a crisis in the past that I faced, and overcame — facing the shock and fear, getting educated, formulating a plan and following through on it were the steps I took. Having a supportive family and friends were keys as well. I was very lucky in many ways during that time.

Maybe I’m naive, but I just don’t pay attention to the media. I live my life making choices that are right for me. 911 did not change my outlook on a single thing. We lost a family friend in it, and I was devastated for his family and all the families who lost loved ones. But the event itself did not make me fearful in anyway.

The current state of economy does not frighten me. I lived on welfare to 2 years while I went back to school. Single mom of 3 children, full time school, welfare. I do not fear loss of income or material items.

I tend to horrify people because I do not watch the news, listen to the radio, or read the newspaper. I get enough information from conversations around me to know what the current events are. And yet, somehow, living my life ‘unplugged’ I manage can quite nicely.

I get up each morning and make responsible decisions for myself and my family. That is my one and only strategy.

Hi Linda.
Well, I sure hope that important phone call went VERY well for you!

Hi Urban Panther.
You have it together girl! Up until a month ago, I used to tune in to evening news out of habit. Now I rarely watch it and never pick up a newspaper. It’s interesting that people react so strongly because you don’t watch the news.

Like the Urban Panther, I rarely let news media affect my outlook. 911, however did have a very profound effect. However, today’s news stories – I either avoid, or don’t let them affect me. Maybe the financial crisis isn’t causing me heartache because I am many years from retirement – and so losses to my 401k don’t feel real. In fact, like the Panther, I too watch very little news. And this is probably part of the reason I am not thinking the ‘world is ending’.

That said, I do have crisis’ that come up in my life. Like the time we had a transmission fail on our van. After already sinking much money in repairs only two months prior. And with a need for a van to haul around the crew of kids we need to transport daily…For me (us) – it worked to step away from the situation for a bit – to clear our heads – before jumping back in to solve what would work for us. Once we did this, stepping away – everything was much clearer. So, you make an excellent point Davina, and one that really does help in these crisis situations.

Hi Davina – These are really good tips. When I face a crisis now – I look back at really bad times and think – but they’re insignificant now and I’m still alive.

I’m using the techniques in the power of now and it’s really helping me switch off that little voice in my head when I’m stressed. I managed to switch it off most of the time a few years ago. Trouble is, I replaced that voice with making plans in my head. Still too much thinking – so now I tell it to shut up.

Hi Lance.
It is easy to be drawn into the news media. Stepping out of the situation will clear your head for sure and you are lucky that once was all you needed to come up with a solution. I would hate to have to deal with mechanical difficulties… probably one reason why I’ve never owned a car 🙂

Hi Cath.
LOL. Sounds like you have that voice pretty well under control now.
“When I face a crisis now – I look back at really bad times and think – but they’re insignificant now and I’m still alive.” That’s exactly how I look at things. It helps to trust that there is a light at the end of that tunnel.

The economic outlook sure looks bad. I try not to listen in or read too much of the negative news myself. I’d rather focus on things that I can control. Like having a positive mindset or to be on the alert for good opportunities, for instance!

I also like your tip on feeding my mind with what will strengthen me. The mind can be more powerful than we realize!! And we’d be doing it great injustice if we do not utilize it well!

Hi Evelyn. I’m hoping to be by your blog today. I was ill for a couple of days and got behind on my reading. Thanks for popping over here.

Feeding the mind with what will strengthen you is a great tip I borrowed from Tony Robbins. It does help to turn things around. And like you say, we can focus on things we can control by nurturing our thoughts.

In my life, it felt like there were almost constant personal crises from my childhood until I was well into adulthood, so I don’t pay too much attention to national crises. I don’t feel like I have much control over them anyway.

I’ve found that crisis always comes filled with opportunity. I’ve heard of evergreen trees that release their seeds only in the wake of fire that heated the seed pods enough to open. You post is a reminder to see beyond the fire to the future.

Good writing and I enjoyed everyone’s comments. I wrote a similar piece today and sent it off to Barbara for her substitute teacher posts. I am working with 4 students who all have final papers due this week…and 3 are mulling around in fear….I tried to jump start the positive…and I had to get fairly tough with my responses…

It doesn’t matter how your feel about what you are assigned to do…you just have to do it…so why make it worse.

I look back at some of the things I have survived and am pleased with myself and it gives me strength to move forward and know that the spring and summer will come again…I just need a plan for the down times.
Thanks for the good ideas and sharing…

Hi there Davina – I think you are quite right about making decisions – that is, that they can help us deal with our fears and move forward.

To be honest, the economy does not worry me. I have found in the past that when there was a serious downturn, it benefitted me in some strange way – in one case, the government brought in a program for paying writers more money, and in another, there were so many people on unemployment benefits that it was possible to slip under the radar and do what you wanted to do.

I actually look forward to the crises ahead, as they will bring a lot of change, and I know that change will be good for me. I was horrified by 911, but it did not change my outlook on the world at all.

When I was going through a lot of fear about money, I would spend a lot of time reading the books on my recommended list. Cheers!

Hi Robin.
I certainly would appreciate a program that would pay writers more money! You sound like a perfectly grounded person. I admire that.

I agree that we will see many changes in the future… for the positive. Like they always say, the darkest hour is before dawn. I do have to admit though that the fear is still close at hand and I really have to work at staying positive. Guess this keeps a person moving and feeling alive.